It's Happened - Someone Finally Created a Desk That Will Let You Work While Lying Down

Pack your bags folks, because we're heading to the future. Standing desks might be all the rage in offices at the moment, but little did we know that they were a mere stepping stone to the ultimate work space. Meet Altwork, an ultra-convertible ergonomic work station that actually lets you work lying down. Such a solution has been dreamt of by sleepyheads around the world, but it's now a reality thanks to Altwork founders Che Voigt and John Speicher. But while it might seem like it was inspired by Wall-E's uber-lazy future Humans, Altwork has actually been created to allow as many working solutions as possible, from standing to sitting to virtually fully-reclined.

After 10 years of development Altwork is preparing to enter the market, and it comes with a price point that is more than worthy of its innovation. Early adopters can secure their work station for the discounted sums of either $3,900 or $4,900, but the regular list price is a hefty $5,900 with the first units expected to ship mid-2016.

It's easy to focus on the Altwork's innovative fully-reclined form, but it's far more versatile than a simple bed/workstation. Altwork has been designed to allow for a large number of seating positions, which if you're regularly chained to a desk while you work, you'll likely be able to appreciate. As the Altwork site is eager to point out, most experts agree that maintaining one position for too long is bad for your body, while standing desks pose their own unique hazards. Altowork delivers all of the blood flow benefits of a standing desk but removes the risks associated with a lack of upper body support, resulting in a far more comfortable and stable work station experience.

Altwork's founders aren't necessarily expecting to see how office floor's decked out with these work stations, though. Instead, they see it as a solution for those who, out of necessity, have to spend a great deal of time dedicating a high level of focus to their work. Admittedly, that might seem like just about everybody who works in an office, but Che Voigt says Altwork is targeting a smaller niche than just the average office worker.

"We aren't trying for a general purpose desk. This is designed for people whose job is to operate a computer. We are looking at CAD engineers, financial traders, animators, technical writers," Voigt told Wired. "I feel like the high-intensity computer user is undervalued. Those are the people who, if their project gets done a little bit sooner, that's a big deal."

We see this technology going beyond the workplace, though. Gamers will likely have dreamt of being able to grind their way through their favorite titles in this kind of comfort, and while the average gamer may be priced out of an Altwork station, those who have some serious cash to invest in their hobby will be looking at this with a great deal of interest.